Vehicle-wheel.



G. W. BARRETT.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1911.

1,034,382. Patented July 30,1912.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR F; 5/72; as 0/ 7 ATTOHN E Y 8 C. W. BARRETT.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1911.

1,034,382. Patented July so, 1912.

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a INVENTOR (Via/"Jar Wilfred wmvssses ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES WHITFIELD BARRETT, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J'u1y8, 1911. Serial No. 637,445.

poses, and has reference more particularly to a vehicle wheel comprisinga hub, a pneumatic cushion surrounding the hub, a felly, spokesconnecting the cushion and the felly, and a solid cushion member withinthe pneumatic cushion.

The object of the invention is to provide a. simple, strong and durablevehicle wheel which can be used in connection with automobiles and forother like purposes, which includes a pneumatic cushion similar to thepneumatic tires now commonly employed,

and serving to lend resiliency and shock-absorbing character to thewheel, in which the pneumatic cushion is, however, protected againstexcessive wear and does not come into contact directly with the ground,in which the parts are securely though separably held together andassembled, and in which, the pneumatic cushion element .becomingdeflated, a solid cushion element be comes effective and serves toreplace the pneumatic cushion until it is convenient to reinflate thelatter.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings formin a part'ofthis specification,'in which simi ar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures, and in which- I Figure 1 is aside elevation of an embodiment of my invention having parts brokenaway, and showingcertain of the parts in cross section; Fig. 2 is anenlarged, transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig.

3 is a fragmentary, plan view of apart of the tread of the wheel,showing a surface designed foreiiicient tra'ctiveaction, and Fig. 4: isa perspective view of a detail .showing a portion of the hub of thewheel.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention itshould be clearly understood that while the vehicle Wheel isparticularly designed for use with motor-driven vehicles, it can also beadvantageously applied to other purposes, for example, it can beconveniently used with vehicles of other types. As is well known, theresilient and shock-absorbing action of a pneumatic cushion such as apneumatic tire, cannot be attained by employing spring Wheels or cushiontires alone. The pneumatic tire which has these obvious advantages is,however, easily injured, and subject to excessive wear. In my wheel, Iemploy a pneumatic cushion which is so positioned that it is effectiveto absorb shocks and to cushion the wheel, but is so placed that it isnot subject to excessive wear owing to the fact that it does not comeinto contact with the ground or other surface upon which the wheelrolls. The particular construction of my wheel, which will be describedhereinafter, renders possible the location of the cushion between thefelly and the hub, so that the wheel can be easily assembled and thecushion can be expeditiously repaired or replaced when necessary. Iemploy furthermore, within the pneumatic cushion, one or more solidcushions which become efiective if the pneumatic cushion becomes accidentally deflated, so that there is no necessity for at once stopping forrepair. Certain of the details of construction, shown for exampleherewith, form no part of the invention, and can be varied in accordancewith individual preference and special conditions, without deviatingfrom the essence of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawin s I have shown for example, anaxle spindle 10 of a vehicle axle 11, the spindle having at the end theusual retainin nut 12. Mounted upon the axle spindle is the wheel hub13, comprising two sections 14 and 15. r The former is the innersection, and like the outer section 15 is of annular form. The section14 has an undercut, annular oove 16 at one edge, and at the inner suraceis provided with an annular recess 17 to facilitate the lubrication ofthe axle. The hub section 15 has an inner, annular flange 18 adapted tobe received within the groove or cutawaypart 16, and has, furthermore,

Patented July 30, 1912.

an outer, annular flange 19 which extends 7 over the section 14, so thatthe latter is virside, the section 15 is provided with. a recess 21which registers with the recess 17, and likewise, assists in thelubrication of the axle. The outer hub section 15 has separated,centrally disposed and radially extended ribs 22 which are clearl shownin Fig. 4, and serve apurpose which will appear hereinafter.

Removably associated with the hub, and surrounding the same, are annularclencher members 23 positioned at opposite sides of the ribs 22 andadjacent to the same. The pneumatic cushion 24 is similar in form topneumatic tires now commonly employed in connection with automobiles,and is fashioned preferably from rubber and fabric. It is of annularform and has clencher flanges 25 which are received in correspondinglyformed edge grooves 26 of the clencher members 23. Locking rings 27 arearranged at the opposite sides of the cushion flanges, against the hub,and are secured in place by screws or bolts 28. As will be readilyunderstood, they serve to clamp the flanges of the pneumatic cushion inposition. Hub plates 29 of annular form are arranged at opposite sidesof the hub, and are secured in place by means of suitable bolts 80 whichpass through openings provided for the purpose in the hub plates and thehub sections. I employ in addition to the retaining rings, U -shapedkeepers 31 each of which is received in a space between two adjacentribs 22 of the hub and extends outwardly at the sides of the hub, havingthe ends 32 arranged at the outside of the locking rings 27 to assist inholding these in position. The keepers, furthermore, tend to preventcircumferential. movement of the cushion in that the clencher members 23have transverse grooves 33 through which the keepers extend. The ribs 22prevent circumferential movement of the keepers.

cured by means of bolts 39 having wing nuts 40, to the cushion. Withinthe latter is arranged a plurality of separated, arcuate bars 41 throughwhich the bolts 39 pass, which serve in holding in relative positionsthe cushion and the spokes. The fact that the arcuate bars areseparated, permits the cushion to flex as necessary.

Within the pneumatic cushion at each side thereof, is arranged a solidcushion holder consisting of a part 42 of arcuate cross section andassociated therewith at one edge, two flanges 43 and 44, respectively,arranged at right angles and engaging the clencher blocks or members 23,the latter being provided with cutaway parts or grooves for the purpose.The holders are oppositelydisposed, and each is provided with anannular, solid cushion 45 fashioned from rubber or other suitablematerial and having a central wire or reinforcing member 46. The solidcushions are preferably of circular cross section and fit snugly withinthe arcuate parts of the holders, and are in juxtaposition with thesides of the pneumatic. a

If so desired, T can employ side or guard plates 47, one only of whichis shown for convenience, in Fig. 2. The plates are of dished form andhave central openings 48 through which an axle extends. They are securedin place by the bolts 30 and extend radially to substantially the medianlines of the pneumatic cushion sides. The latter is provided with an airinlet valve 49 by means of which it can be easily inflated in the usualmanner. If it becomes accidentally deflated by puncture or blow-out, thesolid cushions become effective and the other can be continued in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Let ters Patent:

1. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a pneumatic clencher cushionsurrounding said hub and having said hub extending into it, clencherdevices associated with said hub for securing said cushion in position,a felly about said cushion and spaced radially therefrom, inwardlyextending spokes secured to said felly and in engagement with saidcushion, a holder within said pneumatic cushion and secured upon saidhub, and a solid cushion held in place by said holder.

2. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub having radially extended, spacedribs, aclencher pneumatic cushion about said hub, clencher devices forsecuring said cushion in position, keepers positioned between said ribsand serving to hold said cushion againstcircumferential movement, and afelly about said cushion.

3. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub consisting of two interlockingsections bolted together, the outer of'said sections having radiallyextended, separated ribs, a clencher pneumatic cushion about said hub,clencher devices for securing said cushion in position, keeperspositioned between said ribs pneumatic cushion about said hub, clencherdevices for securing said cushion in position, keepers positionedbetween said ribs and serving to hold said-cushion againstcircumferential movement, a felly about said cushion, spokes extendinginwardly from said telly, and means for securing said spokes to saidcushion at the periphery thereof, so that said cushion can flex.

5. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a hollow cushion member about saidhub, a telly about said cushion member and spaced therefrom, spokesextending inwardly from said telly, spacing blocks between said spokesand engaging said cushion member, separated, arcuate members within saidcushion member, and bolts securing said spacing blocks and said arcuatemembers together.

6. In a vehicle wheel, a hub having radially extended, separated ribs, ahollow cushion about said hub, keepers extending transversely of saidhub and each positioned between two of said ribs, and locking rings atthe outside of said hub and serving to secure said cushion in position,said keepers having ends engaging at the outer sides oi said rings.

7. In a vehicle wheel, a hub having substantially extended, separatedribs, a hollow cushion about said hub, keepers extending transversely ofsaid hub and each positioned between two of said ribs, and locking ringsat the outside of said hub and serving to secure said cushion inposition, said keepers having ends engaging at the outer sides of saidrings.

8. Aevehicle wheel comprising a sectional hub, a hollow cushion arrangedabout said hub, keepers extending transversely of said hub and havinglaterally disposed extremities, locking rings at the sides of said huband serving to secure said cushion in posihub and having laterallydisposed extremities, locking rings at the sides of said hub and servingto secure said cushion in position, said extremities of said keepersengaging said locking rings, hub plates at the sides of said hub, boltsfor securing said hub plates and the sections of said hub together, afelly about said cushion, spokes connecting said felly and said cushion,a guard plate bolted to said hub and extending radially in juxtapositionwith said cushion, a holder within said cushion, and a solid, annularcushion member held in place by said holder.

10. In a vehicle wheel, a hub, a hollow cushion about said hub, meansfor securing said hollow cushion to said hub, a folly about saidcushion, spokes connecting said cushion and said telly, a pair ofholders arranged within said hollow cushion and each having a flange ofarcuate cross section, and a pair of angularly disposed flanges, saidlast-mentioned flanges engaging said hub, and a solid, annular cushionheld in place by each of said arcuate flanges within said hollowcushion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to, this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES WHITFIELD BARRETT.

Witnesses:

F ANK I. BRIGDEN, VIoToR CHALLEN.

